FAA Tarpon"s during D-Day

[Spitfires Forever]

Greetings

I recently acquired a set of Areomaster decals for an FAA Tarpon which I wish to use on my 1/48 Italeri/Academy Avenger and was wondering about how and if they partook in any of the action. I assume if they were involved they flew from land based since no aircraft carriers were involved with GB essentially being the biggest aircraft carrier in the Atlantic. Any operational records out there? Were they used much in general in the European or Mediterranean theatres of action? It's a very intriguing topic for me of which ai have been able to find very little information about.

Cheers

 

[rossm]

MJF Bowyer's book "Aircraft for the many" is focussed on the RAF but lists 5 squadrons of Avengers contributing to D-Day. It states those loaned to 19 Group - presumably 849 & 850 based at Perranporth - commenced TFN patrols in daylight on 4th June and were particularly active on the afternoon of 5th June.

 

TFN is given as "air patrols along the French coast".

[EwenS]

Brief history of 850 squadron here

http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/SQUADRONS/850_Squadron.htm#.YX-XT8qnyhA

 

846 (Tracker and Trumpeter), 852 (Nabob) and 853 (Queen) 856 (Premier and Trumpeter) saw service in European waters on the named escort carriers in 1944/45. Tracker also operated in the North Atlantic with 846 from late 1943/early 1944.

http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/SQUADRONS/852_Squadron.htm#.YX-ZjcqnyhA

http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/SQUADRONS/853_Squadron.htm#.YX-ZosqnyhA

http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/ESCORT/TRACKER.htm#.YX-ZzMqnyhA

http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/ESCORT/TRUMPETER.htm#.YX-Z9cqnyhA

http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/ESCORT/NABOB.htm#.YX-aFMqnyhA

http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/ESCORT/QUEEN.htm#.YX-aPsqnyhA

http://www.royalnavyresearcharchive.org.uk/ESCORT/PREMIER.htm#.YX-cjMqnyhA

 

 

The Avengers and Wildcats of 846 on Tracker got D-Day stripes as she was operating in the Western Approaches in support of various escort groups participating in Operation Cork to intercept U-boats coming up from the French ports.

 

From memory, I’m away from my sources at present, there were 4 Avenger squadrons allocated to Coastal Command and shore based for D-Day. 849, 850, 854 and 855. The first pair were based at the western end of the Channel and the last pair at the east end.

 

The only FAA Avengers in the Med would be on carriers passing through en route to the Far East or maybe on Fleet Requirement Duties out of Malta in 1945. I’d need to deep delve my library to check.

[Ed Russell]

I can only second what's above and note that after January 1944 (thus including the time of D-Day) they were Avengers not Tarpons in RN service.

You have put an apostrophe (two in fact) in Tarpons where it's not needed. 😉

I am not familiar with the Aeromaster decals. If you give us some serials from the sheet you may get more information. I do have a note here that 855 Sqn usually operating from RNAS Donibristle were detached to RAF Hawkinge & Thorney Island for Overlord and they conducted D-Day anti-submarine and anti shipping sweeps on 6 June 1944.

They look good in D-Day stripes.

https://ww2aircraft.net/forum/threads/faa-grumman-avenger.2076/

 

[iang]

In addition to what has been posted, Avengers of 848 Squadron HMS Formidable were briefly marked with D-Day invasion stripes on the fuselage. There is one well-known photo of an Avenger taking off in this scheme (third photo down):

https://www.world-war.co.uk/best_photos8.php,

 

I think I might have another in a private photo album I own compiled by an unknown aircrew  from Formidable (I'd need to check). I have a recollection of seeing an 848 Avenger with both fuselage and wing invasion stripes. 

 

Formidable was under refit for most of the first half of 1944, and upon completion of post refit trials in May 1944, her air group was embarked in June. I assume this is when the photo linked above was taken, prior to Formidable's passage to Scapa Flow to rejoin the Home Fleet in July.

[EwenS]

2 hours ago, iang said:

In addition to what has been posted, Avengers of 848 Squadron HMS Formidable were briefly marked with D-Day invasion stripes on the fuselage. There is one well-known photo of an Avenger taking off in this scheme (third photo down):

https://www.world-war.co.uk/best_photos8.php,

 

I think I might have another in a private photo album I own compiled by an unknown aircrew  from Formidable (I'd need to check). I have a recollection of seeing an 848 Avenger with both fuselage and wing invasion stripes. 

 

Formidable was under refit for most of the first half of 1944, and upon completion of post refit trials in May 1944, her air group was embarked in June. I assume this is when the photo linked above was taken, prior to Formidable's passage to Scapa Flow to rejoin the Home Fleet in July.

Been back to Squadrons and Units of the FAA and yes, 848 was shore based at Manston from 20/4/44 (attached to 16 Group Coastal Command), then Thorney Island from 14/6/44 before moving to Lee-on-Solent on 24/8/44. It had a detachment at Turnhouse (Edinburgh) from 6-16/9/44. The whole squadron then went aboard Formidable on 16/9/44 just before she sailed for the Far East. En route to Gibraltar, she suffered a major machinery failure that required several months in dock there before proceeding east. 848 went to Egypt in Oct before the ship picked them up again at the end of Jan 1945.

 

So the photos of D-Day striped Avengers on Formidable would probably have been taken in late Sept 1944 before there was a chance to remove those markings for the trip east.

 

For her operations with the Home Fleet in summer 1944 she operated Barracudas of 826 and 830 squadrons and not Avengers.

[iang]

36 minutes ago, EwenS said:

For her operations with the Home Fleet in summer 1944 she operated Barracudas of 826 and 830 squadrons and not Avengers.

Indeed. Put it down to a senior moment.

[tonyot]

Mostly land based,... one Avenger even shot down a V-1 Doodlebug,..... the gunner in the turret shot it down. While this Avenger was operating in the Far East a V-1 kill marking was seen under the windscreen along with a bomb log! 

 

This link includes some info and a photo of D-Day striped Avengers;

https://www.fleetairarmoa.org/news/d-day-70th-anniversary

 

Some more here;

http://www.frankmitchell-photographer-rn.co.uk/Dad's web page App 1.html

 

Here is the model that I made some years ago using the same sheet;

 

Cheers

        Tony

 

[Spitfires Forever]

Thanks to all for your input. I hope my effort will turn out as good as Tony's example. I have been in the Planes of Fame Avenger, the plane is a bit of a beast but an amazing aircraft in its own right.

Cheers